Page 47 of Save the Dance

Saundra gave her head a sad shake. “Not a clue.”

In response to several frantic letters to the editor, the staff at Weddings Today had come up with creative ways to display family heirlooms. One or two of those might work in this case. “What kind of flowers are you carrying?”

“Red roses with white anemones. We’re holding the ceremony on the veranda.”

Tara sighed audibly. Of all the spots on the grounds, that was where she’d choose to get married. “What if you had the florist either nestle the Star in with the flowers or pin it to the wrapping around the stems?”

But Saundra was shaking her head. “Kevin asked me to wear the pin. I don’t want to disappoint him.” She tapped the box with the tip of a well-manicured finger. “My dress is a trumpet silhouette. It’s strapless, with a sweetheart neckline. If I’d known about this six months ago …”

“I don’t suppose you could pin it where the skirt flares out?”

“I don’t think so. Want to see a picture?” Saundra whipped out her phone and quickly found the one she wanted. “Here.”

“Absolutely gorgeous,” Tara said, looking at the image of Saundra wearing a dress that had been designed with her long, lean figure in mind. Her gaze dropped to the pin in its box. No matter where Saundra attached it, the Star would ruin the lines of the gown. Tara tapped her finger to her chin. She still had a possible solution or two up her sleeve. “Cheri at Dress For A Day could probably create a belt or a sash for you to wear during the ceremony.” The bridal salon had been a favorite of the many places she’d visited in Heart’s Landing. “If she made it removable, you could take it off for the reception.”

“You think?” Saundra’s demeanor brightened. “I like the idea of a sash. It kind of fits in with the whole family tradition.” Her excitement faded as quickly as it had built. “There’s probably not enough time, though. The wedding’s tomorrow.”

“You’ll never know unless you ask. I have Cheri’s number in my room. Let me run upstairs and call her. The worst she can say is no. But I’m betting the two of you can work things out.” From what she’d heard, Regina had leaned heavily on her position at Weddings Today and had demanded special favors from many Heart’s Landing businesses. Tara had approached things differently, but the owner of the bridal salon would no doubt jump at the chance to fill a request for her.

Tilting her head, Saundra narrowed her eyes. “There must be twenty wedding ceremonies taking place in Heart’s Landing this weekend. Why are you helping me?”

Tara took a breath. “Honesty is the best policy, according to my mom. I think it’s incredibly sweet of you to wear your fiancé’s family pin. That’s reason enough.” With a couple of keystrokes, she put the laptop to sleep. Confident that her report to Regina would be safe from prying eyes for a few minutes, she stood. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time,” Saundra said with a motion of her hand. “I have to stop by Alicia’s office for a minute. Other than that, I’ll be right here for the next hour or so.”

Tara gave a nod to the waitstaff manning the coffee urns. Assured they’d keep an eye on her table while she was gone, she trotted up the stairs to her room. Minutes later, she explained Saundra’s predicament to Cheri, who, as expected, volunteered to help.

“Have her swing by anytime this afternoon. My seamstress does amazing work. Your friend is in good hands.”

“Thank you,” Tara said, her appreciation heartfelt.

“We aim to please all our brides in Heart’s Landing. Welcome to the club.”

Warmth flooded Tara’s midsection. She swore Cheri was smiling when the shopkeeper ended their conversation. And no wonder. Taking part in the town’s tradition felt better than Tara had ever thought it would.

Chapter Sixteen

Jason ran through his lines for the pageant. This time, though, he paid particular attention to Mary’s role. Just as he’d told Tara, the part was light on dialogue. For someone as smart as her, memorizing the half-dozen lines should be a snap. Not that the character was an easy one to portray. The last scene, especially, required a flair for the dramatic.

He scanned the final page. Having steered his ship through the hurricane in order to reach port, Captain Thaddeus burst onto the widow’s walk. Cutlass in hand, he freed Mary from the ropes that bound her to the railing. The kiss that came next elicited cheers from the crowd each year. When Evelyn had played the part of Mary, Jason had always shielded their faces with his feathered hat. Hidden from the audience’s view, they’d grin at each other while they counted out ten long seconds. Tomorrow, though, Tara would take on the role. Considering their newly declared feelings for each other, he suspected he’d dispense with the hat.

Blood pulsed at his temples. He hadn’t believed in love at first sight before, but now he knew it existed. He’d loved Tara from the moment he’d set eyes on her in his office. His heart thrilled at the idea that she loved him, too.

But was their love strong enough to last? Especially when she lived in New York while his home was here in Heart’s Landing? He’d tried and failed to keep the spark alive with Clarissa … and she only lived as far away as Boston. He’d blamed long distance for the failure of their relationship, but that had only been an excuse. The truth was, he’d never loved Clarissa. Not really. Now that he’d fallen deeply and truly in love with Tara, he knew the difference. Whenever Clarissa had earned a promotion or closed a deal, he’d been happy for her, but his heart hadn’t swelled with pride the way it had when Tara had overcome her fears to walk out on stage during the Smith wedding. The tiniest bit of irritation had colored his view of the long hours Clarissa devoted to her job. Not so with Tara. With her, he’d rolled up his sleeves and pored over logbooks for hours on end. Most of all, he’d never dreamed about the future with Clarissa. Sure, he’d been on the verge of proposing to her, but he’d never looked at the years that lay ahead, hadn’t dreamed of children and baseball games and ballet recitals. Not like he did with Tara. He wanted all that with her, and more. He could see them in their dotage, sitting beside each other in a pair of rocking chairs on the widow’s walk.

He ran a hand through his hair. How, exactly, would he and Tara work out the logistics? They’d each spent their entire lives preparing for their careers. She’d no more ask him to give up the Captain’s Cottage than he’d demand that she walk away from her dreams. Especially not now that she was so close to achieving everything she’d set out to do. Yes, he’d heard her doubts about being able to please her boss, but he trusted that she’d find the solution. Why, he’d even regale Regina with stories of the Captain and Mary’s love for one another if Tara thought it would help.

He could start with their courtship. The year Mary Shelby made her debut into society, she’d been swept off her feet by a handsome sailor who’d happened to be home on leave. Thaddeus had stolen her heart, promised to name his first ship after her, and asked for her hand by the end of the Season. Though she’d known his career required him to be at sea for months at a time, she’d agreed to become his wife, the mother of his children.

Jason shook his head. Talk about long-distance relationships. Half the world had separated Thaddeus and Mary for most of their marriage. Yet their love had survived and flourished. Was he honestly willing to let mere miles prevent him from loving Tara? He came from sterner stock than that. His love for her would endure, no matter how far apart they lived.

The urge to see Tara swelled in his chest. He’d promised to have the script for the pageant sent to her, but delivering it himself presented the opportunity to spend more time with her. That was a chance he didn’t want to miss. He tucked the thin booklet under his arm and headed down the hall. When he reached Evelyn’s door, he paused for a minute to check on his cousin.

“Hey. How are you today? Feeling any better?” Despite her laryngitis, she’d insisted on coming into the office.

Evelyn peered out at him from behind her computer monitor. Her mouth closed, she shook her head.

“I’m sorry. On the upside, Tara said she’d take your place in the pageant tomorrow night.” Grabbing the script, he fanned it at his cousin. “I’m going to drop this off with her now. I’ll be out of the office for a few minutes. Can I bring you anything?”

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